One of the first things newly pregnant women ask their doctors or midwives is "Can I still work out?" In most cases, doctors will say exercise during pregnancy is recommended, within limits.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), "There are no data in humans to indicate that pregnant women should limit exercise intensity and lower target heart rates because of potential adverse effects." For women who have no additional risk factors, the ACOG makes the following recommendations:

During pregnancy, women can continue to exercise and derive health benefits even from mild to moderate exercise routines. Regular exercise (at least three times per week) is preferable to intermittent activity.

Women should avoid exercise in the supine position (lying on the back) after the first trimester. Prolonged periods of motionless standing should also be avoided.

Women should be aware of the decreased oxygen available for aerobic exercise during pregnancy. They should be encouraged to modify the intensity of their exercise according to maternal symptoms. Pregnant women should stop exercising when fatigued and should not exercise to the point of exhaustion.

Weight-bearing exercises may, under some circumstances, be continued at intensities similar to those prior to pregnancy throughout pregnancy. Non-weight bearing exercises such as cycling or swimming will minimize the risk of injury and facilitate the continuation of exercise during pregnancy.

Just as women are taking time during their pregnancies to exercise and strengthen their bodies, clothing designers are seeing the trend and coming up with great maternity wear options for exercise. Liz Lange, a designer on the forefront of maternity fashion, recently teamed up with Nike to create an entire line of active wear for pregnant women.

"I wanted to be able to address the clothing needs of pregnant women in every area of their lives," says Lange. "Active wear has become such a staple in any woman's wardrobe, both because people are working out more and also because the lines between active wear and fashion have really blurred over the last few years, and fabulous workout wear is great for hanging out in and using as weekend wear, too."

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